STRESS IN FEMALE MEDICAL DOCTORS

A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY AT TERTIARY CARE HOSPITALS OF KARACHI

Abstract

In present era stress remains a favorite subject of research especially in medical
profession because with high competitive roles and responsibilities, this profession serves the
need of mankind. Objective: Assessment of professional stress in female medical doctors
employed at different tertiary care hospitals of Karachi, Pakistan. Study Design: The crosssectional
non-experimental survey. Setting: Different tertiary care hospitals of Karachi. Period:
November, 2012 to July, 2013. Methodology: Internationally validated and standardized
questionnaire was used as survey tool for present research. It was distributed to total two
hundred and twenty eight 228 female medical doctors. Results: Total 191 respondents filled
the research survey. 64.39% were MBBS, 20.42% were BDS and 15.18% were postgraduate
respondents. Cronbach’s alpha was 73.60%. Mean age of respondents was 29.32 ± 6.96
years, average stress score was 12.09 ± 4.33 with average years of experience were 4.58 ±
5.57 years. Stress scores on the basis of demographic variables like age groups, experience,
qualification and marital status showed average scores in range between10-12 units. However,
high frequency of respondents scored moderate to severe stress when probed on the basis of
levels of stress they have possess. Categorizing the equation for stress scores observed in the
present survey as, MBBS respondents showed more stress units i.e., 12.50, BDS doctors have
had 11.50 units stress and postgraduate respondents had 10 units stress scores. Conclusions:
Results concluded that stress in female medical professionals is never underestimated as it
is clearly indicated through present survey that all female respondents possess average job
stress which need to address.